1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wellness system which can provide a user with artificial reality which involves a plurality of human senses integrated, i.e., a virtual reality environment which causes user's plural human senses such as the sense of sight, hearing, touch, and smell to work. More particularly, the present invention relates to a wellness system which can provide a user with a virtual reality environment which can add a sense of sophisticated realism and the contents of a physical exercise which varies according to the virtual reality environment, by acquiring information about a movement and a physiological condition of the user who is doing a physical exercise and then providing feedback of the information to the wellness system, also provide a user who is isolated from a real world with a contact with the real world by providing a virtual reality environment for the user, and support communication between the user and another user, or between the user and a medical authorized person or a helper.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Each of prior art training machines intended for the improvement of a person's health and physical strength have been widely used as a wellness system. An artificial-experience giving device equipped with a display, for providing a user with artificial experience in doing a target physical training exercise while seeing an image displayed on the screen of the display is one of such training machines. Referring now to FIG. 15, there is illustrated a schematic view of such a prior art artificial-experience giving device equipped with a display as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laying Open (KOKAI) No. 7-80096. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a bicycle training machine, 2 denotes a pedal of the machine, 3 denotes a saddle of the machine, 4 denotes a projector which projects an image of an artificial scene, 5 denotes a screen shaped like a half-spherical dome, on which an image from the projector 4 is displayed, 6 denotes a blowing outlet out of which an artificial wind is blowing, 7 denotes a blowing box which produces the artificial wind, and 8 denotes a fragrant substance adding unit for adding a fragrant substance to the artificial wind.
When a user sits on the saddle 3 of the bicycle training machine 1 and then starts to pedal the bicycle training machine, the projector 4 projects an image on the screen 5 shaped like a half-spherical dome and located at the front of the bicycle training machine 1. In general, the image displayed on the screen is concerned with an artificial scene in the vicinity of an artificial road on which the bicycle is moving, and the image is controlled so that the artificial scene is varied according to the speed at which the user pushes the pedals 2 around, that is, the scene moves at a high speed when the user pedals fast and the scene moves at a low speed when the user pedals slowly.
In addition, a wind from the blowing outlet 6 located at the front of the user is blowing toward the user. The velocity of the wind is controlled according to the speed at which the user pushes the pedals around, similarly to the speed of a variation in the image projected on the screen. Furthermore, the prior art artificial-experience giving device equipped with a display is adapted to control the load of a physical exercise imposed on the user and select a fragrant substance to be added to the artificial wind according to the contents of the image displayed on the screen so as to provide the user with a sense of realism, for example, increase the load of the bicycle training when an image of an upward slope is displayed on the screen, decrease the load of the bicycle training when an image of an downward slope is displayed on the screen, or add a fragrant substance including phytoncide as a major constituent to the artificial wind blowing out of the blowing outlet 6 by means of the fragrant substance adding unit 8 in a situation wherein the user is going on a bicycle trip in a wood.
The prior art wellness system which is so constructed as mentioned above is intended for persons of health or patients who are almost restored in health, but not for early rehabilitation carried out for patients who have no alternative but to be confined to bed, in the presence of a doctor, or according to instructions of a doctor, to prompt early rising and prevent the user from atrophying with disuse. While the prior art wellness system has a measure to display an image in order to cause the user to motivate himself or herself to do rehabilitation, it cannot add a sense of realism to a sufficient degree. Furthermore, the prior art wellness system cannot be intended for patients who are not restored in health; the prior art wellness system cannot provide a load of a physical exercise suitable for the user. In addition, another problem with the prior art wellness system is that since it does not include a means for acquiring information about the user and a real environment in real time and a communications function, the user is not allowed to make contact with a real environment and communicate with another person.